Strawberry plant named ‘Driscoll Camarillo’

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a new and distinct variety of strawberry named ‘Driscoll Camarillo’. The variety is similar to the varieties ‘Baeza’ and ‘Ventura’. The variety is distinguished from ‘Baeza’ and ‘Ventura’ in that ‘Driscoll Camarillo’ has a longer fruiting truss, a dark green coloration of the upper side of the leaf, a globosely plant habit, even fruit coloration, and absent to small hollow center size.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: The variety isbotanically identified as Fragaria×ananassa.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new variety originated as a result of a controlled cross between thestrawberry plants ‘Baeza’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,548) and ‘33×257’(unpatented variety of Driscoll Strawberry Associates, Inc.) in anongoing breeding program, and was discovered in Ventura County, Calif.in October, 1997. The original seedling of the new cultivar wasasexually propagated by solons in a nursery in Shasta County, Calif.Propagates were transplanted to a controlled breeding plot in VenturaCounty, Calif., where the variety was identified and selected forfurther evaluation. ‘Driscoll Camarillo’ was subsequently asexuallypropagated and underwent further testing Ventura County, California forfive years. This propagation and testing has demonstrated that thecombination of traits disclosed herein which characterize the newvariety are fixed and retained true to type through successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety ofstrawberry named ‘Driscoll Camarillo’. The variety is botanicallyidentified as Fragaria×ananassa. The new variety is distinguished fromother varieties by a number of characteristics as set forth in Tables1-4.

COMPARISON TO SIMILAR VARIETIES

The varieties which we believe to be similar to ‘Driscoll Camarillo’from those known to us are ‘Baeza’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,548) and‘Ventura’. There are several characteristics of the new variety that aredifferent from, or not possessed by ‘Baeza’ and ‘Ventura’. The newvariety has a longer fruiting truss, a dark green coloration of theupper side of the leaf, a globosely plant habit, even fruit coloration,and an absent to small hollow center size.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying photographs show typical specimens of the new variety,including fruit, foliage and flowers, in color as nearly true as it isreasonably possible to make in color illustrations of thesecharacteristics.

FIG. 1 shows the leaves of the plant.

FIG. 2 shows the upper side.

FIG. 3 shows the under side of the flowers.

FIG. 4 shows a close-up of the fruit.

FIG. 5 shows the fruit in longitudinal cross-section.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed description of the new variety is based uponobservations taken of plants and fruit grown in Ventura County, Calif.,U.S.A. Observations of ‘Driscoll Camarillo’, ‘Baeza’ and ‘Ventura’ weretaken in side by side comparison in 2001. This description is inaccordance with UPOV terminology. Color designations, colordescriptions, and other phonotypical descriptions may deviate from thestated values and descriptions depending upon variation inenvironmental, seasonal, climatic and cultural conditions. Colors aredescribed and the most similar color designations are provided from TheRoyal Horticultural Society (R.H.S.) Colour Chart.

PROPAGATION

The new variety is principally propagated by way of solons. Althoughpropagation by solons is presently preferred, other known methods ofpropagating strawberry plants may be employed.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NEW VARIETY

Information on the new variety is presented in Tables 1, 2 and 3. In thetables, the flowers described are secondary flowers except whereindicated. The fruit described is the secondary fruit on one year oldplants. Fruit and flower measurements are an average of both primary andsecondary fruit and flowers. The leaf width is 14.78 cm and the leaflength is 9.98 cm. The leaf margin is crenate, and the leaf texture isvery strongly blistered. The petiolule length is 16.22 mm, the petiolulediameter is 2.22 mm, and the petiolule color is 149A (in The R.H.S.Colour Chart). The anthocyanin color on stolons is 60C (in R.H.S. ColourChart). The stolon thickness is 3.875 mm. The sepal length is 9.18 mm,sepal diameter is 5.4 mm, and sepal color is 146B (in R.H.S. ColourChart). The reproductive organs are typical for the species. The colorof the anthers is Yellow 13A (in R.H.S. Colour Chart), and the color ofthe pistils and receptacle are Yellow 7A (in R.H.S. Colour Chart). Theaverage achene weight is 0.0054 g, and there are an average number of224 achenes per berry.

Table 1 provides a quantitative comparison of the plant and fruitcharacteristics of the new variety ‘Driscoll Camarillo’ compared withcharacteristics of ‘Baeza’ and ‘Ventura’. Table 2 provides additionalinformation of the plant and fruit characteristics of the new variety‘Driscoll Camarillo’ compared with characteristics of the varieties‘Baeza’ and ‘Ventura’. Table 3 provides reactions of the new variety tostresses, pests and disease as compared to the varieties ‘Baeza’ and‘Ventura’. Table 4 provides isozyme characteristics of the new varietyas compared to the varieties ‘Baeza’ and ‘Ventura’.

TABLE 1 DETAILED COMPARISON OF CAMARILLO, BAEZA AND VENTURA CAMARILLOBAEZA VENTURA Plant Characteristics Height of Plant (cm) 23.3 20.8 21.0Spread of Plant (cm) 42.7 38.2 38.7 Number of Crowns 4.8 3.0 3.3 LeafCharacteristics Terminal Leaflet 8.2 8.5 7.5 Length (cm) TerminalLeaflet 8.2 8.7 7.5 Width (cm) Terminal Leaflet 1.0 0.98 .99Length/Width # Teeth/Terminal 24.8 25.4 22.4 Leaflet Color of upper sidedark green light to medium green 147A medium green 137A 147A Color ofunder side light green light green light green 138B 138B 138B PetioleLength (cm) 15.9 14.5 14.2 Petiole Color 149A 144A 145A yellow greenyellow green yellow green Bract Frequency 42% 67% 50% mostly doublemostly double mostly double Stipule Length (cm) 3.5 3.5 2.8 StipuleWidth (cm) 1.2 1.1 1.1 Stolon Diameter at base of 4.09 4.12 4.05 lastdaughter Flower Characteristics Petal Length (cm) 1.22 1.10 1.19 PetalWidth (cm) 1.39 1.22 1.09 Petal Length/Width 0.88 0.90 1.09 Ratio Petalcolor 155B Flower Diameter (cm) 2.61 2.50 2.40 Calyx Diameter (cm) 2.982.55 2.57 Fruiting Truss Length (cm) 32.0 28.5 24.8 FruitCharacteristics Fruit Length (cm) 4.1 4.2 4.5 Fruit Width (cm) 4.0 3.84.0 Fruit Length/Width 1.03 1.11 1.11 Ratio Average Berry 21.1 21.5 24.3Weight (g) External Color 46A 46A 46A red red red Internal Color 34B &155A 42B & 155D 44A orange red & white & orange red white orange redAverage % brix 9.26 10.38 9.27 Brix/Acid Ratio 12.62 12.87 12.95 AcheneColoration 184B and 13B 13A and 46A 13B and 45B Marketable Yield in 410293 118 2001 (g/plant)

TABLE 2 CHARACTERISTICS OF CAMARILLO, BAEZA AND VENTURA CAMARILLO BAEZAVENTURA Plant Habit globose flat globose globose to flat globose Densityopen open medium Vigor medium medium weak to medium Leaf Shape in crosssection concave concave slightly concave Interveinal blistering verystrong strong to very strong strong Glossiness medium to weak mediumstrong Number of leaflets three only three only three only Terminalleaflet revolute to flat revolute to flat revolute to flat marginprofile Terminal leaflet shape rounded obtuse to rounded of base roundedTerminal leaflet shape rounded acute to obtuse of teeth obtuse Stipulepubescence sparse sparse sparse Petiole pubescence sparse very sparse tosparse sparse Petiole pose of hairs outwards outwards outwards StolonAmount few to medium few to medium few to medium Anthocyanin weak toweak to medium coloration medium medium Thickness thick thick to mediumto very thick thick Pubescence sparse medium to dense Inflorescencedense Position relative above level to above level to above to foliageDiameter of calyx smaller to same same size to smaller relative to sizelarger corolla on secondary flowers Diameter of inner same size samesize same size calyx relative to outer on secondary flowers Spacing ofpetals overlapping overlapping touching to overlapping Fruiting TrussAttitude at prostrate prostrate semi-erect first picking FruitPredominant shape cordate conical conical to cordate Difference inshapes slight very slight to slight between primary and slight secondaryfruits Band without achenes absent or very very narrow narrow narrow tonarrow Unevenness of surface weak weak to weak to medium medium Evennessof color even slightly uneven slightly even uneven to even Glossinessstrong strong strong Insertion of achenes below surface level to belowbelow surface surface Insertion of calyx in a basin level in a basin tolevel Pose of the calyx spreading spreading to reflexed segmentsreflexed Size of calyx in smaller same size to smaller relation to fruitlarger on secondary fruit Adherence of calyx strong strong weak tomedium Firmness of flesh firm medium to firm firm Evenness of fleshslightly uneven uneven slightly uneven color Distribution of fleshmarginal and marginal to marginal to color central central centralHollow center size absent to small large small Sweetness medium mediummedium to strong Texture when tasted medium medium fine Acidity mediummedium weak to medium Time of Flowering mid to late mid to late mid tolate August August August Harvest Interval in 9/29-12/22 9/29-12/2210/6-12/22 2001 (Week Ending) Type of Bearing fully fully fullyeverbearing everbearing everbearing

REACTION TO STRESS, PESTS, AND DISEASE

TABLE 3 5.3 REACTION TO STRESS, PESTS, AND DISEASE CAMARILLO BAEZAVENTURA Reaction to Stress high pH moderately moderately moderatelyresistant resistant resistant high soil salt levels moderatelysusceptible moderately resistant resistant Reaction to Pests Tetranychusurticae moderately moderately moderately susceptible susceptiblesusceptible Lygus hesperus susceptible susceptible susceptible ReactionTo Diseases Botrytis fruit rot susceptible susceptible moderatelysusceptible Powdery mildew susceptible highly highly susceptiblesusceptible Verticillium wilt susceptible susceptible susceptibleStrawberry Mottle Virus moderately moderately moderately resistantresistant resistant Xanthomonas fragariae moderately moderatelymoderately resistant resistant resistant

ISOZYME ANALYSIS

In addition to the morphological description above, the new cultivar‘Driscoll Camarillo’ has been analyzed to obtain an indication of itsgenetic makeup to provide further means for identifying the new varietyand distinguishing it from some other somewhat similar and/or relatedstrawberry varieties. Specifically, leaf samples of ‘DriscollCamarillo’, ‘Baeza’, and ‘Ventura’ were analyzed by electrophoresis forisozyme patterns of the enzymes phosphoglucoisomerase (“PGI”), leucineaminopeptidase (“LAP”) and phosphoglucomutase (“PGM”). See J. Amer. Soc.Hort. Sci. 106:684-687. Isozyme characterization of the three varietiesis presented in Table 4, with the letters representing the bandingpatterns for each enzyme as designated in the above-identified article.

TABLE 4 ISOZYME ANALYSIS FOR CAMARILLO, BAEZA AND VENTURA LocusCAMARILLO BAEZA VENTURA PGI A2 A1 A2 LAP B3 B3 B3 PGM C4 C3 C4

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of strawberry plant,substantially as shown and described.